


The Witch Next Door

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: The Most Beautiful Melody [7]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Cat!Tikki, Dog!Pollen, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Familiar Of Zero AU?, First Meetings, Fluff, Human!Luka, Humor, Luka Is A Saint, Magic-Users, Marinette is a Terrible Witch, Mild Angst, Snake!Sass, Sort Of, Soulmates, Spells & Enchantments, Tikki Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), Witch!Marinette, Witches, cat!Plagg, lukanette endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:06:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng, of the Dupain-Cheng Dynasty, is not a good Witch. She can admit this, now that she has run away from home and ended up thousands of miles away in a tiny apartment with only her Familiar for company. Marinette has never been a very accomplished spellcaster but she didn't realize how bad it was until The Incident. Now, she is in Paris, France and determined to put magic behind her for good. Too bad she is even more disastrous as a human than a Witch and doesn't know how to function without magic. Yeah, she probably should have thought this one through. But hey, her cute next door neighbor is more than willing to help her out from time to time so there's that!Luka Couffaine thought that when he moved away from the Liberty, his family home, he could put space between him and the world of magic. Don't get him wrong, he loves his mother and sister to pieces. But in his experience Witches are materialistic, vain and cruel to those who they deem a lesser species. He is not thrilled to find out his adorable new neighbor is a Witch, and even less thrilled when he finds himself forced into a Familiar Bond with her when she saves his life.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Series: The Most Beautiful Melody [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/986736
Comments: 95
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So Supernovian is on a brief hold until Tuesday or Wednesday. I was told by several people not to burn myself out and while I think I still got a bit of writing in me before that happens (Reading/Writing/Work is all I have to do right now anyway) work has me beat so I'm gonna wait til one of my days off to finish the chapter.
> 
> That being said I really needed a break from the oppressive emotion that is Supernovian, so I give you this adorable, fluffy, and humorous story featuring a disaster of a Witch, Marinette, and the long-suffering Luka who has taken it upon himself to help her in anyway that he can

“Well, it isn’t much but it’s ours,” Marinette Dupain-Cheng announced, turning slowly to look at the tiny, one bedroom apartment that was a far cry from the lap of luxury she had grown up in. To her, it was infinitely better though because it was hers. All hers. And she was as far away from her family as possible, with their disappointed sighs and their forlorn headshakes. Don’t get her wrong, Marinette loves her parents and her aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. She knew they loved her, too, and that they meant well. But living there had been oppressive. Marinette was a witch, belonging to the Dupain-Cheng Dynasty in Hong Kong, China. Her family was one of twelve prominent Covens that were scattered across the world and while they were the smallest of the twelve they were also one of the most powerful. Her parents, Emperor Tom and Empress Sabine were accomplished spellcasters and most of her cousins were prodigies in their chosen specialization. And then there was Marinette.

At twenty-three years old, Marinette still hadn’t found a specialization. It was unheard of among their kind, who normally specialized as early as five but typically by age fifteen at the latest. There were late bloomers of course, but Marinette wasn’t sure there was a single other witch in history who had specialized later than age eighteen. And it wasn’t as if she wasn’t a powerful witch. That was part of the problem. Marinette was extremely powerful for her age and without a specialty to harness and channel that power, her abilities tended towards the chaotic and unrestrained side of things. That meant that even the simplest of spells, charms, or potions could have dangerous and catastrophic results if she wasn’t careful. It had been that way since she was a baby, and it had earned herself the name of  _ Klutzinette  _ back in her school days because of how often she managed to blow stuff up. It was embarrassing and shameful and she just had to get away from it all and strike out on her own. So she ran away and here she was. In a dinky one bedroom apartment in beautiful Paris, France feeling more free than she had in all of her twenty-three years combined.

Turning in a slow circle, she took in the thin walls painted off white, the grayish carpet and the uninspired kitchen and felt a flutter of excitement in her heart. Sure it wasn’t much, but she could make this work. She would just need to get some supplies and add some life and color to the place. The lady down in the office had assured her that painting was okay as long as she painted it back when she moved out. Marinette was certain she could get accustomed to a life without magic, if only she gave it a fighting chance. She had money of her own; the one thing she was good at was fashion design but that career path had been unfit for a Princess of the Dupain-Cheng Dynasty. That hadn’t stopped her, of course, and she had successfully been running her own online shop called _ Lucky Bug Boutique _ for a few years now, where she sold items she had made and took commissions. It paid well and she had been saving her money up for years so she was in no way hurting for cash. She probably could have gotten a better place but while Paris wasn’t home to one of the Twelve, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be witches living here or even just visiting.

Witches were a materialistic species. They liked wealth, luxury, status. If there were witches living here, they would be in the kinds of apartments her parents might actually approve of, if they had approved this move at all. Which they hadn’t. They probably blew a gasket when they found her note announcing she was leaving home and renouncing her title as a witch. But no, Marinette fully intended to avoid any place that a witch might deign to be seen in because the last thing she wished was to get dragged back to China and unfortunately, her face was rather well-known among their kind. With her fair skin, wide blue eyes, and thick raven tresses she was as beautiful as she was disastrous and it was just as much a curse to her as her magic had been. Luckily, Marinette had always been the girl with the plan and the one she had now was foolproof. There were tales of a Spellcaster in France who might be able to take away her magic for good. Tikki was against the idea because it was black magic and nothing good ever came from dabbling in black magic but the idea of becoming a human, a totally normal and non-failure of a human seemed too good to pass up. Plus, if she was magic-less then her family might decide to just leave her in France if they ever found her, rather than bringing her back to further disgrace the family name.

“Well. It could be worse,” the voice of her Familiar finally announced and Marinette looked down to see the cat looking about with a distasteful look on her face. Witches normally didn’t bond with Familiars until after they specialized but ever the special case, Marinette had defied tradition and formed a bond with the petite feline when she was eight, after she had botched a spell and stink bombed the entire school with skunk scent. Tikki had materialized before her to snap at her for being so utterly incompetent, having been watching the class from the netherworld where Familiars originate because she had a feeling her future witch was among the class even though she hadn’t determined which one it was yet. One look shared between their nearly identical blue eyes and the bond formed without them ever casting the bonding spell. Tikki had been less than pleased, especially since Familiar bonds were incredibly hard and painful to break, but she had eventually come to appreciate the girl she worked for even if she was an absolute failure at magic. She was at least a good-hearted and sweet person and she bought Tikki all the cookies she could possibly want.

“Come on, Tiks, this will be an adventure! We’ll get you a nice cat tree and put it… over there. I bet that window gets a lot of sunlight,” she said pointing to the window overlooking a small park. 

“I suppose so,” the petite cat, a tortoiseshell that was predominately a dark ginger with black patches that resembled a ladybug’s spots, meowed thoughtfully. Tikki was the inspiration behind her boutique’s names, because in China ladybugs were seen as a symbol of good fortune and Marinette was always in need of some good luck in her life.

“Great! Okay so… the delivery van should be arriving any second, did you want to stay up here or come with?” She asked, glancing back at the cat as she headed to the door. Unable to bring her things with her to France, Marinette had ordered all new furniture to arrive the day she officially moved into her new apartment. Her phone chimed as if on cue with a text announcing they had arrived and she shot one back confirming she would be right down.

“I’ll come with,” the cat said after a moment’s thought, getting up and stretching languidly before padding after her witch. The pair left the apartment and headed down the hall towards the rickety old elevator that would take them to ground level. They were on the top floor of the ten story apartment building. Tikki eyed the elevator with distaste, fur prickling along her spine before she finally crossed the threshold with a soft growl. She was a bit claustrophobic and had always hated elevators on a good day but this one left much to be desired for the little cat. Granted, she was an immortal being who couldn’t actually be hurt if the elevator did break and plummet to the ground but that didn’t mean it would be pleasant and while witches had extended lifespans, they weren’t immortal or impervious to injuries the way Familiars were. Few things could actually hurt a Familiar physically, and those that could were typically laced in some form of black magic. Yet another reason the Familiar was against this idea but she knew once Marinette got an idea in her head, swaying her was near impossible.

The ride down was thankfully uneventful and Tikki practically leaped from the elevator with a purr of relief, eliciting a soft chuckle from her witch. Normally she would have told Marinette to bugger off for laughing at her, but there were humans milling about now and one of the cardinal rules of witchcraft was not to reveal yourselves to humans. The Salem witch Trials were still fresh in all of their minds and none of them wanted a repeat of that. Exiting the building, Marinette waved to the two delivery men with a warm and welcoming smile, momentarily stunning them. Tikki would have laughed if she had been able to at that moment. Her witch was hopelessly unaware of how bewitchingly beautiful she really was. There were times the Familiar wondered if her specialization didn’t have to do with the powers of persuasion because one look, one smile, and most males and some females were putty in her hands.

The man grabbed the small gray couch first, while Marinette grabbed a box of new pots and pans and followed them in. Tikki almost refused to take the elevator on principle once they had managed to cram the couch into the small space and piled in like sardines around it, but she relented at Marinette’s teasing smile. If she didn’t get on, she knew she would never hear the end of it and she didn’t need the aggravation. She wisely chose to stay upstairs after that, watching from the window as the humans and Marinette filed in and out, getting all the furniture and the apartment necessities brought in. When they had finally brought everything up, Marinette thanked and tipped the men and immediately collapsed down on the couch with a sigh of relief. The multiple trips had left her feeling sore and she still had to order dinner. Marinette fully intended on taking a cooking class at some point, since she had never even set foot into a kitchen given they had servants who did all the cooking back home. For now, though, she hadn’t even been grocery shopping and she was too mentally and physically exhausted to go out again so she called up the local pizza place and placed an order. Once that was finished, she sank into the couch cushions with a weary moan. Moments later, Tikki hopped up to join her and her soothing purr soon had Marinette dozing off.

  
  
  
  


Luka Couffaine loved living by himself. He had grown up on a houseboat with his mother and his younger sister, and while he loved his family dearly, there was just something about living in his own place. Part of it was likely his ability to keep things clean and organized the way he liked it. His mother, Anarka Couffaine, was a colorful woman. She was bold, unapologetically herself, and chaotic. She loved living in chaos, never able to find anything unless it was strewn about in haphazard piles. Luka and his sister had somehow turned out the opposite, both preferring to keep their shared bedroom in tiptop shape. His apartment reflected that. Everything had a place and everything was in its place. He never left clothes on the floor or his shoes laying in the middle of the apartment entrance. He always capped his toothpaste and kept his toothbrush in the jar beside his bathroom sink. Even his fridge was meticulously organized.

Perhaps the thing he loved most about living on his own was the lack of magic. Luka’s mother was from one of the main twelve Covens that were placed around the world and controlled most of the world’s magical underground. The Couffaines were based in Scotland and were one of the biggest clans. Anarka had been born into the Couffaine Coven, was raised by them to be their next Queen, but had left when she had fallen in love with a human instead of another Witch. It was one of their biggest taboos but his mother had always moved to the beat of her own drums. The result was Luka and his sister, Juleka. His sister got the magic gene from his mother. Luka did not, and so he was considered as human as his father though he did get a few magical perks. Extended life, not as susceptible to illnesses, the ability to form a bond with a Familiar. That last one rarely happened because Familiars usually preferred to bond with those with actual magical ability, not humans from a magic bloodline, but Sass the Snake was different. He wasn’t ambitious, didn’t feel the need to enhance his own powers by bonding with a witch as most of his kind did. He liked Luka’s energy and his music and that was enough for him. He was probably one of the few good things that had come from being raised around magic.

Luka wouldn’t exactly say he  _ hated  _ magic, except he kind of did. His mother and sister aside, every other witch he had crossed paths with had been rude, oftentimes even cruel because he was a powerless halfbreed. His sister at least got the powers, so while she had been teased quite a bit in school, it wasn’t nearly as bad for her. Most witches were materialistic and vain and kind of useless in the real world because they used their magic for everything. If he never met another magic user outside of his mother and sister, he would be eternally grateful because they were all assholes in his opinion. Luka had had more than his fair of spells cast upon him out of spite by those with magical abilities than he cared to remember. But it was okay because he had moved into his new apartment a little over a month ago and thankfully, it wasn’t a place he would expect to find any self-respecting magic user so as long as he kept his eye out for them, he should be able to avoid them. Another of his ‘gifts’, he could tell witches apart from humans. It was similar to seeing auras. Every witch had an ‘aura’ of magic around them that indicated their specialization. Of course, it could be hidden with dampening spells but few of their kind bothered with those. They loved showing off their power levels to fellow kin far too much, and the bigger and brighter the aura, the more powerful the spellcaster was.

Tossing a microwave dinner into the microwave, Luka collapsed onto the overstuffed sectional that dominated his already small living room and gently picked up his acoustic guitar, Elaine, from her stand near the couch. He had had Elaine for years and she was still in incredible condition. She was a gorgeous Takamine EF360S-TT, a ridiculously expensive piece but her vintage sound was well worth it. Besides, she had been a gift from his father, Rock Legend Jagged Stone, who could definitely afford the nearly two thousand dollar price tag. He settled her in his lap, fingers settling over the strings as a song began to form in his heart, but before he could turn those thoughts into music there was a knock at the door. He frowned. He wasn’t expecting company, but he supposed Juleka could have just been dropping by unexpectedly. She was living in the dorm rooms of her University nearby and often dropped in when she had a particularly stressful day.

Setting Elaine gingerly back upon her stand, he hopped up fluidly and went to open the door. As soon as he did, a pizza was shoved unceremoniously into his hands and he had to fumble to keep from dropping it. Luka blinked, staring down at the box dumbfounded. Had he ordered pizza and then forgotten? It had happened before, when he had gotten lost in the music, but he hadn’t even started playing yet. He had only just gotten home from work and he had literally just put a microwave dinner in. Pizza definitely sounded more appealing, but he also was on a budget and he rarely allowed himself such luxuries until his rent was paid. Not that he had to pinch pennies. He always made more than enough to live comfortably but he was a cautious sort so it was in his nature to watch what he spent money on and he usually lived by the philosophy of  _ ‘why buy what you can make at home’ _ .

“That’ll be twenty-two dollars and thirty-nine cents.” The pizza delivery boy said, looking out expectantly. Even though he still wasn’t sure the pizza was actually his, Luka found himself automatically reaching for his wallet to hand over the cash with a mall tip added. The man thanked him and booked it, likely to finish delivering other pizzas in his car and Luka was left alone in the hallway. Shifting his grip on the pizza, he opened the receipt and scanned it until he spotted the address written on it. The address was correct except the apartment read 1025, and he was in 1026. Apparently, he had a new neighbor because that apartment had been empty since he had moved in. Shrugging, he figured this was as good a way to introduce himself as any. He didn’t really know any of his neighbors and that suited him just fine but he was still polite and friendly when he saw them. Crossing the short distance, he rapped quickly on the door. A loud  _ thump _ and a yelp, immediately followed by a  _ crash _ , a  _ bang _ and the indignant yowl of a cat had him wincing before the door was yanked open and Luka lost all ability to think.

_ Blue _ . That was the first word that flashed across his mind as he stared at the panting girl staring up at him. Her eyes were wide, doe-like, fringed with long dark lashes and they were so very, very blue. They were the most beautiful blue he had ever seen, and if given a chance he could write entire symphonies based on the depth and color of her eyes alone. Then he took in the rest of her and found her capable of stealing his breath just as easily as she had wiped his mind. She was petite, that much he could tell despite the oversized hoodie and sweats that were trying to hide her figure. She was fair skinned and rosy cheeked, with a pert nose and freckled cheeks and dimples. Her lips were full and lush, shiny and pink from the lipgloss she wore and her hair was like an inkspill against the paleness of her skin. Long and thick, it hung in two carefully crafted braids down her back. She was also short, her head stopping somewhere around his chest. She was bewitchingly beautiful, hauntingly so like the full moon on a cloudless night, standing out stark and glorious against the backdrop of the night sky. Her lips moved, his gaze immediately drawn to them, but it took a moment to realize they were forming words.

“...ir? Sir, are you okay?” He blinked suddenly, focusing enough to find her watching him with worry in her enchanting blue eyes and he had to fight to keep his thoughts in order lest they scatter to the wind.

“Good. I’m good,” he said, jerking his eyes away from her to stare at a fixed point just above her head. Clearly direct eye contact was hazardous to his health. :I just um… I think this is yours.” He held the pizza out abruptly and saw from the corner of his eye how her gaze immediately dropped to the box in his hands.

“Oh, you’re the delivery person! I’m sorry, you aren’t in a uniform so I- well, never mind, let me just grab my wallet,” she said and her  _ voice _ . It was the prettiest melody he had ever heard, high and clear like wind chimes in a gentle summer’s breeze.

“Oh um, I’m not, actually. I think they just delivered it to the wrong apartment? I live right here,” he shifted the box to point at his door while still avoiding her gaze.

“Oh no, I am so sorry for troubling you! Well here, let me at least pay you back,” she said, already beginning to turn away. Luka’s gaze snapped back to her and he was reaching out with one hand before he even consciously thought about it. His fingers brushed her elbow and the electricity that immediately zinged through him at the contact kicked his heart rate into overdrive.

“Wait it was no trouble, really. Think of it as a… welcome to the building gift,” he suggested, feeling a boyish grin light up his face. He was rewarded with her light blush and shy smile when she turned those big blue eyes back to him.

“Oh, that is so sweet. Thank you…?” 

“Luka,” he supplied, releasing her elbow to offer his hand. When she returned his smile with a broader one of her own and slid her hand into his, he found the electric current to be even more prominent than he had before.

“It’s nice to meet you, Luka. I’m Marinette.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette makes a new friend and Luka makes another appearance at her door ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I would like to just do a disclaimer that Tikki is SUPER OOC in this story. Tikki is a millennia old Demon. She has worked with countless other Witches in the past, some have been great and others have treated her purely as an extension of their own power and not as a living creature with thoughts and feelings. She has become very jaded due to this and in general, she is a Demon so... yeah. She isn't gonna be super sweet and bubbly in this. She loves Marinette, of course, but her way of showing affection and encouraging her witch will be a lot more subdued than it is portrayed in the show and you'll see a lot of "tough love" here from Tikki as she tries to protect her witch to the best of her abilities.

Marinette had a problem. A very big problem. One she didn’t know how to even begin solving, because she had never before had this problem. She thought, or was at least pretty sure, that she might be attracted to her new neighbor. It was a new feeling, when she opened that door and looked up (and up, and up) into his soft blue eyes, and felt a tingle race up her spine. Her heart had felt like it was being kicked into overdrive and she had worried as she slid her hand into his that it might be damp with sweat but if it was, he didn’t seem to mind or notice. His eyes were a lighter shade of blue than hers. While hers were deep like sapphires, his were bright and clear like the mediterranean sea. Mesmerising. His skin was darker than hers, olive toned, and he was lean and lanky but obviously well-muscled beneath his band tee-shirt and ripped skinny jeans. His face was sharp and angular where hers was soft and round, and he was tall. Oh  _ Goddess _ , was he tall. Standing at her full height, Marinette immediately noticed she would be about eye-level to what she was sure to be an impressive set of abs if his shirt weren’t blocking her view. Not that she was thinking about his abs, of course not. That would be fundamentally wrong because he was a human and she was a witch and those sorts of relationships were taboo among her kind.

The truth of the matter is, Marinette had never experienced what the humans might call a  _ crush _ . Dating was different among those with supernatural bloodlines. Some mated for life, others simply got with the opposite sex to procreate before going their separate ways. It all depended on the species. Witches outside the Twelve could date freely in a similar fashion to the humans. They dated, they had hookups and one night stands, they had the ability to get divorced. The Twelve, however, did things differently. They were an elite group, almost a whole other classification of witch. They were stronger, faster, enjoyed lifespans about five times longer than the average Witch and about ten times longer than the average human. Their magic far surpassed the potency and ability of normal witches and that was in part due to… selective breeding. Women of the Twelve rarely got to choose the man they would marry. That was often decided in their youth, a mutual agreement between two families to fuse their bloodlines to better their future generation and make them even more powerful than they already were.

Marinette had been betrothed at one point, to the heir of the Agreste Family. Adrien was a sweet boy, she grew up knowing him and had enjoyed his company and easy camaraderie. They had a great friendship but had never loved each other  _ like that. _ His father rescinded the betrothal when she was twelve, after she had proved utterly incompetent and oftentimes dangerous when it came to magic and he was later betrothed to the Tsurugi Heir, Kagami, instead. Marinette had been fine with this, had been fine with not having her life tied with someone else’s. No one wanted to marry a screw up, no one thought her future children would add anything  _ good  _ to the bloodline. She remained unbetrothed and that suited her just fine. So no, Marinette had never found herself attracted to anyone else before. She could acknowledge a person’s attractiveness. Adrien had certainly been attractive with his perfectly coiffed blond hair and startlingly green, cat-like eyes. But she, herself, had never been  _ attracted _ to Adrien. He was simply her best friend, goofy and socially awkward but sweet and selfless. She loved him like one might love a brother.

But Luka… he inspired feelings in her that she had never felt before. Feelings of excitement and anticipation, the electric rush of the unknown. He sparks life in what had previously been a dull existence for her and she had inexplicably found herself missing his company the moment the door closed between them. After they had said their goodbyes, she had leaned back against the closed door and slid down it until her head was between her knees and her fingers buried in her hair. She had stayed like that for who knows how long waiting for her blush to abate and when she had looked up, it was into Tikki’s narrowed blue eyes. The cat looked mildly disgusted, ears pinned back, nose wrinkled and tail flicking agitatedly as she watched her witch. Before Marinette had been able to even begin to justify the swirling feelings that churned in her gut, the familiar had spoken with a decisiveness that left no room for argument.

“No.” She meowed firmly. When it looked like Marinette would protest regardless, the cat had leaped onto her knees so that she was nose to nose with her and repeated herself. “The answer is  _ no _ , Marinette,” she growled firmly.

“I didn’t even say anything,” the girl finally mumbled, looking away from the cat’s piercing gaze which was starting to tinge red.

“You didn’t have to. I am a demon, I have been around for millenia, have worked with countless of your kind, and I know what it looks like when a witch falls for another… person. Need I remind you that he is a  _ human _ , Marinette? And you are a witch of high prestige and bloodline. He has nothing to offer you that you couldn’t just as easily get from your own kind,” she said, sniffing haughtily and lashing her tail. Her eyes were once again fully blue, no red in sight, but the annoyance still seemed to buzz within her.

“He could offer acceptance,” Marinette said softly, rising abruptly and unceremoniously dumping the feline onto the ground. Tikki scrambled to right herself, mouth opening for a retort but she ultimately stopped herself when she noticed the tense set of her witch’s shoulders as she stalked off to the bedroom. Ears and tail drooping with remorse, the familiar slunk off to the window she had taken up residence in, leaping deftly onto the sill and settling down to look out over the park below. She didn’t care what Marinette thought about them being safe, she would keep watch over her new domain regardless and ensure nothing disturbed it.

  
  
  


The next morning, Marinette was in much higher spirits. She had a million and one errands to run today and she’d ideally like to get a head start on them. It was around ten by the time she rolled out of bed and she relished in the fact that she no longer had family around to drag her from bed at the crack of dawn for her numerous royal duties. In fact, she no longer had royal duties at all! Being a human was already looking better and better by the minute. Marinette showed and then pulled on a dress of her own creation. It was a simple sundress that fell to her knees, baby pink with spaghetti straps, a cinched waist, and a floral print. She paired it with her favorite pink flats and a round purse with a monogrammed M and her signature cherry blossom design. Finally ready, she and Tikki headed out for the day’s adventures. If her gaze lingered on the door belonging to her cute neighbor as she walked past, neither she nor Tikki said anything and they quickly found themselves in the elevator and heading downstairs.

Marinette’s first stop was a nearby car dealership. She hadn’t gotten much of a chance to drive back home but she  _ had _ learned and she did have her license so she figured it might prove a useful thing to have now that she no longer had a personal driver. Figuring out the local subway system took a fair bit longer than she would like to admit but eventually she found her way to the dealership. A few people eyed the cat at her feet curiously, or attempted to pet her only to back off when she aimed a hiss or growl in their direction and sidled closer to her witch with narrowed blue eyes. Apparently, humans did not walk around in public with their cats very often even though she had seen quite a few dogs out and about. These dogs were always with humans, tethered to them by something she later learned was called a leash. Marinette felt that it was a bit barbaric to tie a dog up like that, but the dogs seemed happy so she chose to keep her opinions to herself. Familiars were never tethered physically like that, though one might say they were tethered magically to their witch. The bond was extremely strong and potent, flowing between witch and familiar like a channel of pure magic.

The man at the dealership who helped her eyeballed her cat but said nothing as they spoke logistics and he eventually showed her to a few used vehicles within her price range and for the purpose she was looking for. She soon decided on a lightly used, bright red Fiat Panda. The car was tiny and adorable and reminded her of a ladybug so it was kind of perfect. Tikki seemed to approve as she curled up on the heated passenger’s seat while Marinette drove them off to their next destination, a local paint shop. Once again, they were treated to odd and curious looks as the woman and cat entered the shop and began to peruse paint colors. This time a woman approached and with her help, Marinette eventually found a nice charcoal gray and pastel pink that she felt would do nicely. The day continued much the same and Marinette stopped to pick up some home decor and a few other necessities.

They stopped for a late lunch in a local park that had a few food trucks in the parking lot and Marinette enjoyed her crepe as she and Tikki wandered aimlessly through the park. Eventually they came across what looked like an adoption event for homeless animals. That was another thing the young witch found to be a strange concept. In her home, animals were treated with respect and dignity, not as mere pets. Here, it seemed like animals were often looked down upon as a lesser species which just didn’t sit right with her. And the fact that there were so many homeless animals tugged terribly at her heartstrings.

“Tikki, you don’t suppose-”

“Absolutely not,” the cat huffed with a flick of her tail, ears pinning back in affront as she glared up at her witch.

“Oh, come on, Tikki. I just want to look,” she insisted, turning to head towards the adoption event. Tail still flicking in irritation, the familiar grudgingly followed and watched with mild distaste as her witch cooed over the wriggling puppies and kittens. She was so focused on Marinette’s betrayal, she didn’t notice the redhead approaching until she suddenly found herself being scooped up into the air with a startled yowl.

“Unhand me, you cretin!” She yowled, squirming and momentarily forgetting that she wasn’t supposed to be talking.

“Oh you’re… you’re a familiar!” The girl holding her said with surprise, her words causing the cat to still abruptly and look up. Staring down at her was a girl with dark skin, a wild mane of curly ombre auburn hair and two very prominent fox ears. The cat blinked, startled, but before she could say anything, Marinette ran up to them.

“Tikki, are you okay? I’m sorry, that cat is mine,” she apologized, gaze fixed worriedly on the cat and not the girl holding her.

“You’re a witch,” the girl said, wonder filling her tone. That was enough to bring Marinette’s gaze up and her surprise was also immediately evident as she stared at the girl in equal wonder, taking in the ears and the four bushy tails.

“And you’re a Kitsune!” She said, delighted. Witches rarely associated with creatures outside their own species unless those relations benefitted them in some way so while Marinette had learned all about some of the other creatures who dwelled in their world, she had never actually met many of them. She had certainly never met a Kitsune, though they were immediately recognizable. Kitsune could take on the form of either human or fox. They never shed their ears or tails, but in human form they were invisible to those who weren’t from a supernatural bloodline. As a witch, they were clearly visible to Marinette and she took a moment to admire the soft reddish brown fur and the snowy cap at the end of each tail that seemed to gleam in the afternoon sunlight.

“Yup! Alya Cesaire, at your service,” she greeted jovially, sweeping into a mock bow which caused Tikki to squawk indignantly as she was squished. Chuckling, she straightened up and held out the once again squirming feline. “Oops, I’m sorry,  _ petit minou _ .”

“How incredibly rude, unhand me  _ Húlí _ ,” she spat, squirming until she was released and then deftly leaping to the ground. She paused to give her ruffled fur a few quick licks before slinking behind her witch with a scowl thrown in the direction of the fox spirit. Alya at least had the tact to look apologetic before refocusing on Marinette.

“I’m… uh…” The raven-haired witch suddenly hesitated at giving her real name. She doubted she was going to hand her over to her family but if a large enough reward was offered it might be enough to sway her. “Marinette Cheng.”

“Nice to meet you, Mari. Can I call you Mari?” Alya chirped, not seeming to notice Marinette’s hesitance. “Are you new to Paris? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“Mari is fine,” she said, smiling shyly. She had never had a nickname she actually liked before. “I just moved here. I needed a change of scenery and what girl doesn’t dream of living in the city of love?”

“Too true,” Alya laughed in agreement. “Well, your French is great. Even the accent is spot on.”

“My father is French,” she supplied with a shrug. “I’m fluent in Mandarin, English, and French as a result and I know a bit of Japanese but not enough to hold a conversation. The Fox Spirit nodded before gesturing at the adoption event going on around them.

“So, were you thinking about adopting? If so, we have a bunch of great animals here looking for a home,” she said enthusiastically. 

“You work at the shelter?” Marinette asked at the same time Tikki spat, “She isn’t interested.” Alya looked between the two of them with a bemused smile on her face.

“I volunteer for the shelter and they needed an extra pair of paws today,” she joked, wiggling her fingers playfully before beckoning them to join her. “Come on, I’ll show you around even if you  _ aren’t _ looking for a new friend.”

Alya took them through the entire adoption event, seeming impervious to Tikki’s dour mood as she introduced them to cats and kittens, dogs and puppies of all ages, even a few birds and rabbits they had that needed homes. Marinette was thoroughly enchanted. She had seen familiars of all shapes, sizes and species before, of course, but it was extremely bad form to pet another’s familiar. Familiars were very personal entities, tying directly into a witch’s powers so most preferred to keep them to themselves. Even Marinette was pretty particular about other witches around Tikki. Even Adrien had only been permitted to touch the feline on a few occasions, and he was one of the people she trusted the most in this world.

Eventually they said their goodbyes, but only after exchanging numbers and Marinette promising to give Alya a call sometime that week so that the fox could take her out and show her Paris’ nightlife. That was something to look forward to. The only parties Marinette has been to were of the formal variety. Certainly she had never been to anything even closely related to a nightclub of any sort so there was a certain level of excitement as she meandered back to her car for one last stop at the grocery store. She had found a few basic recipes that she intended to try out, so she got supplies to make those and then headed home. Without magic, it took quite a few trips to lug all of her things up to her apartment but it was worth it. She was determined to make this place feel more like a home, and besides. It was all worth seeing Tikki reclining comfortably on the lavender and cream cat tree she had bought her at the adoption event. The window really had been the best spot for it. She quickly set her painting supplies in one corner of the room and then put all the food away in its rightful place. Only once everything was in its place did she collapse back onto her couch with a weary sigh. She was exhausted, but there was still one last thing she needed to do. She owed a certain blue-haired boy a thank you, and she had already figured out the perfect way to do it. Picking up her cellphone, she dialed the same pizza place she had ordered from last night.

  
  


It was with a sense of Deja Vu that Luka opened his apartment door that evening to find himself staring at a pizza delivery boy. The day itself had been pretty uneventful for the young man. He had gotten up at six, the way he did every morning, to shower and eat and guzzle some much needed coffee before he biked to Woodstore, the music shop that he had been working at for a few years now. He arrived there at seven, clocking in and beginning the typical opening duties along with Brad, the shop’s owner. The shop opened at eight and his first official music lesson of the day was at nine. When he wasn’t teaching guitar, piano, or the very rare drum lesson, Luka performed cashiering duties, helped customers find the right instrument, or played around with some of the demo instruments to entice more customers to come in, if only to listen to him play. Normally, he loved his work and was almost reluctant to go home at the end of the day. Today, however, seemed to drag by and all he could think about were big cerulean eyes and freckles.

Luka finished his final lesson of the day at five and biked his way home, the same as he did every monday through friday. He liked to follow a routine, and while he was adaptable enough to roll with any sudden changes that might come his way, he preferred it when things were predictable. Of course, there were some positive things that even he could never have predicted and he had an idea that his pretty neighbor was one of them. He wanted to talk to her again, almost craving her presence. It was a little scary, actually, how attached he was already becoming but he couldn’t help it. There was something so  _ enchanting _ about her. If he didn’t know better, he would assume she was drenched in some enchantment that was attracting him to her but he had already checked her aura. It was as mundane and human as they came, the colors dull and uninspired and so very unlike the girl they belonged to. Not that he minded, given how much he disliked witches. But Marinette… she was far too sweet to be a witch.

The way she had been so concerned and so eager to pay him back for the pizza had been endearingly cute, her wide blue eyes widening even more so as she blinked dolefully up at him. She had looked so much like a kicked puppy, he would have bought a hundred pizzas just to put a smile back on her face. Luckily, it had only cost him one but still. It would have been a small price to pay to see her flash that dimpled grin at him one more time. Stepping off the elevator, Luka had found himself pausing briefly as he passed her door. The urge to knock was almost overwhelming. He wanted desperately to see her again but he needed a viable reason. He couldn’t exactly knock on her door and tell her he found her adorable and had been desperate to see her again. That was just creepy. So he had continued to his own apartment, tossing his keys into the bowl on the entry hall table and placing his shoes neatly underneath and handing his hoodie on the hook on the back of the door. He had walked to the living room to flip on the light and immediately greeted the large King Cobra draped over the driftwood bird perch that Luka had purchased for him to hang out on when he wasn’t in his enclosure which was admittedly ninety percent of the time. Sass’ hood flared wide as he lifted his head, tongue flicking out to brush Luka’s knuckles when he reached out to scratch the snake affectionately under his chin. He might be venomous, but he was a sweet snake and he loved having his scales scratched like a dog with a belly rub.

“Evening, Sass. Did you have a good day?” He asked with a warm smile as he crossed to the kitchen to rummage through the fridge. He hadn’t been to the store recently so the pickings were slim.

“Yessss, Massster Luka, I did. It was very pleassssant. How wass your day?” He hissed, neck bobbing and weaving as his small, beady black eyes tracked the young man’s movements.

“Long,” he admitted, shutting the fridge and opening the freezer instead.

“Ssstill thinking about  _ her _ ?” The cobra asked, amusement in his tone. Luka felt himself redden but didn’t deign to answer as he reached for one of his frozen dinners. Luka could cook, and in fact enjoyed cooking immensely. He just hadn’t had the time as he had recently gotten a sudden influx of students as summer vacation neared, leaving him very little free time to shop or cook. He would need to go to the store this weekend and make and freeze some meals. He was just about to open the dinner, Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, when the knock came at the door. His heart immediately leaped to his throat as he considered who it might be and he ignored his familiar’s hissed laughter as he rushed to open the door. He deflated when he realized it was just another pizza delivery, but only slightly because he had a good idea who the pizza might be intended for and this was the opportunity he was looking for to chat her up, maybe even get up the nerve to ask her to dinner! If he could get her to agree to that, it would be well worth the twenty dollars he was about to spend on this pizza. He fished his wallet out in preparation but the man waved him off.

“It’s already paid for, my dude,” he said, pressing the box into Luka’s hand and offering him a peace sign. He walked away, leaving Luka standing dumbfounded in his doorway once again. Shifting his hold on the box, he studied the receipt and found that it had indeed been paid for by a Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Somewhere in the back of his mind, that last name sparked an odd sense of familiarity but it was fleeting. There one moment and gone the next. He glanced at the address and this time, even the apartment number appeared to be his. A typo, perhaps? Either way, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and quickly walked the four steps to his adorable neighbor’s door. This time when he knocked, there was no crashing, banging, or cat’s yowling. Just a few moments of silence and then the door was pulled open to reveal his neighbor. His very cute neighbor, who was even prettier than he remembered. She looked surprised to see him, but there was a pleased smile on her face.

“Oh, Luka! Hello, again,” she greeted sweetly.

“H-hey,” he returned, holding the pizza box up slightly. “I think this is yours. Seems we keep meeting like this.” Marinette dropped her gaze to the box, a perplexed look crossing her face before she gave a shake of her head.

“No, it’s for you,” she said with that same sweet smile. Now it’s his turn to be confused.

“But… I didn’t pay for it?” He said, the words coming out like a question. She giggled in response and it was like Cupid’s arrow straight to his heart. He never knew he had a thing for giggling until now, but  _ wow _ , he definitely did now.

“No, silly, I did. As a… thank you, I suppose,” she said with an easy shrug, blinking those big, captivatingly blue eyes up at him. Luka was pretty sure that if she kept looking at him like that, he was going to melt into a puddle of goo.

“But… but I didn’t  _ do _ anything?” He didn’t know why he was pushing this but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

“You were nice to me. That’s more than enough to warrant a thank you,” she said softly and  _ oh _ . He is pretty sure his heart can’t take much more of this. And the fact that she was implying others  _ hadn’t _ been nice to her were making some long dormant feelings of protectiveness rise in him that he hadn’t felt since Juleka had become accomplished enough with magic to take care of herself against some of her more aggressive bullies. She shifted in front of him, gaze darting around awkwardly and Luka belatedly realized he had been staring at her with a dopey smile for who knew how long. He swallowed awkwardly and straightened abruptly, cheeks heating as he shifted his gaze away.

“Would… would you like to have dinner with me?” He finally asked, blue eyes flicking back to her face. She looked surprised, then uncertain and he felt his heart sink until she got a determined look in her eye and nodded.

“Right now?” She asked, catching him off-guard. He hadn’t meant right now, but… that could work.

“If… if you aren’t busy?” He asked with a shy grin. Her smile is just as shy, filling his heart with a glow of warmth he isn’t quite sure he has ever felt before.

“I’ll… I’ll be over in five?” She asked, and he found himself nodding dumbfounded as she gave him one last smile and ducked back into her apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff Happens. Also Adrien and Kagami make an appearance and there is angst and ultimatums and shit. Hawkdaddy still being an evil prick, what else is new?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I apparently can't write a Lukanette fic without turning at least one chapter into a Songfic, have one of the most cliche Lukanette songs I can think of.

“So tell me, why Paris?” Luka twirled his wine glass idly, the red liquid sloshing within the cup as he watched the young woman across the table from him. Between the two of them, they had successfully managed to finish off almost the entire pizza and it was nice to find that Marinette wasn’t one of those girls who shied away from carbs. He had never seen the point in obsessing over your looks and weight the way some women did. Across from him, Marinette took a careful sip of her own wine and he had to hold back the soft laugh that wanted to escape him at the face she made. It was subtle, the way her nose wrinkled and her lips turned down at the corners, but it was obvious she wasn’t a big fan of wine and was drinking it more out of politeness than anything else.

“Why not Paris?” She asked after a moment, setting her glass down with a barely there look of distaste that he might have missed if his gaze weren’t so riveted to her face. He couldn’t help it. Luka was twenty-five. He had met plenty of attractive women before, had dated on and off since high school, and had even entertained the thought of marrying his last serious relationship until he found out she was just using him in hopes he would eventually become a bonafide rockstar. That one had hurt, especially when he had made it clear that he didn’t want to deal with the tours, the adoring fans, the fame. He was happy with his life, he lived comfortably, that was enough for him. But of all the women he had met, dated, loved… he had never found a single one to be just straight up _pretty_ the way Marinette was. It wasn’t just her physical appearance, either. She was sweet, charming, enthusiastic and passionate. She had been sitting at his table for over an hour now, speaking animatedly about anything and everything that came up. She had this enthusiasm for life that he had never seen in anyone else and it only served to endear her to him even more.

“Fair enough,” he chuckled, before rising and beginning to gather their empty dishes up. Marinette jumped up and began to help clear the table. “You don’t have to do that, you’re the guest.”

“I want to. Besides, I’m kind of new to this whole cleaning thing so I’m trying to get in all the practice I can,” she said, and he was guessing she had meant it as a joke but there was a ring of truth to her words that gave him pause.

“You’ve _never_ had to clean?” He asked incredulously because she had told him she was only two years younger than him so how was that even possible? The young woman froze briefly, face going white as if she had shared something about her past that she hadn’t meant to. She had been fairly close-lipped about her family and homelife so he wasn’t intending on pushing the subject if it made her uncomfortable. Before he could change the topic, however, she spoke sounding a bit unsure of herself.

“I… I grew up in a fairly wealthy and prestigious family. I had a lot of… _family duties_ to attend to and cleaning up after myself was seen as ‘beneath my station’ so no. I’ve never cleaned, or cooked, or had to take care of myself in any respect so it’s all kind of a learning experience for me,” she admitted softly, moving to the sink and turning the hot water on. He immediately reached past her and turned the cold water on as well so she wouldn’t burn herself, earning a sheepish smile from the girl in return.

“Is that why you left?” He asked gently, and for a moment she looked surprised as if she had expected him to judge her inexperience. She hadn’t said as much but Luka got the feeling that Marinette had spent much of her childhood feeling unworthy and judged by her family and that made his blood boil.

“Part of the reason,” she allowed, taking the sponge he offered to scrub the grease, cheese and pizza sauce from the plate in her hands. She didn’t elaborate and he didn’t press, the pair simply falling into a companionable silence as she washed and he dried. It was nice. Really nice, actually, and he felt honored that she had opened up to him about something she obviously felt vulnerable about. Once the few dishes were cleaned and put away, they retired to the couch and Marinette immediately noticed Elaine sitting proudly in her stand. She reached over and curiously ran her fingers over the strings.

“Can you play?” He asked, smiling faintly as she jumped and yanked her hand back with a guilty expression. When she turned her big blue eyes on them, they were wide with curiosity.

“No, I’ve always been curious but my family didn’t… approve of the guitar. I can play the piano, the violin, and the flute,” her nose wrinkled up as she mentioned the flute and he had to laugh at that.

“Not a fan of the flute?”

“It’s a terrible excuse for an instrument,” she retorted, watching as he picked up the guitar and settled it across his lap.

“So are you some sort of musical prodigy? Or did your parents just decide all the free time you had from not cleaning was best used learning to play instruments?” He asked, keeping his eyes on the guitar as her gaze drilled into the side of his head.

“You’re teasing me,” she finally decided and he couldn’t help but smile at that. She truly was too cute for her own good.

“I am,” he agreed, looking up at her from beneath his bangs as he began to play a light, airy melody.

“Well, if you _must_ know. It wasn’t just instruments. It was languages, and foreign politics, and fencing,” she said in her most haughty tone and he had to laugh outright at that.

“Well, we can’t forget the foreign politics,” he agreed sagely, and was immediately rewarded with a melodious giggle that put what he was working on with his guitar to shame. He couldn’t find it in himself to mind though as he smiled dopily at her and had the pleasure of seeing her blush and duck her head shyly.

“W-will you play something for me?” She asked after a few minutes where the only sound was the gentle melody taking shape beneath his fingertips. His fingers paused on the chords as he thought before shifting into a more purposeful position and he began to play one of his favorite songs that he felt fit this particular moment. Marinette listened intently beside him, but he was thoroughly caught off guard when she began to sing softly alone.

_“When I was younger,_

_I saw my daddy cry_

_And curse at the wind._

_He broke his own heart_

_And I watched_

_As he tried to reassemble it_

_And my momma swore_

_That she would never let_

_herself forget”_

Marinette had a beautiful voice. He could tell she didn’t since very often, and that she was even less accustomed to singing in front of an audience but that only made it more special. He couldn’t help but join in, surprising but pleasing her as their voices harmonized perfectly together.

_“And that was the day that I promised_

_I'd never sing of love_

_If it does not exist, but darlin'_

_You are, the only exception_

_You are, the only exception_

_You are, the only exception_

_You are, the only exception”_

Marinette’s voice trailed off but Luka kept singing through the song and the way her eyes sparkled as she watched him? Wow. Suddenly he realized why his part time bandmates often brought their significant others to gigs. Luka never had before, and on the rare occasion his girlfriends had shown up to surprise him, he had always been more nervous than anything else. But now he felt heady and powerful as she watched him play, sing. There was no pressure to impress her the way there always had been with other girls. It was just him, his guitar, and this gorgeous girl that he was quickly catching feelings for.

_“Maybe I know, somewhere_

_Deep in my soul_

_That love never lasts_

_And we've got to find other ways_

_To make it alone_

_But keep a straight face_

_And I've always lived like this_

_Keeping a comfortable, distance_

_And up until now_

_I had sworn to myself that I'm content_

_With loneliness_

_Because none of it was ever worth the risk”_

He was delighted when she once again joined her voice with his on the final chorus, blue meeting blue as identical blushes filled their cheeks. Silence filled the air as the last few chords died off and Luka gingerly set Elaine back in her stand before reaching out to grasp Marinette’s hands in his own. Her fingers immediately laced through his and there was no hesitance in her movements when he drew her closer. He didn’t kiss her, even though he really, _really_ wanted to. He would be patient and do his best not to scare her off. She seemed like the skittish sort and he guessed that might have something to do with her elusive past but he wasn’t going to press for details. She would tell him when she was ready and he would be there to listen when she was. For now, he tucked her into his side and grabbed the remote, resting his chin atop her head as he turned on the tv.

  
  
  


“You’re panicking,” Kagami Tsurugi commented as she idly scratched her fingers over the scales on her familiar’s head. Long, the ten foot long and 180 pound Komodo Dragon, flicked his tongue lazily at her ministrations. Lifting her head, she watched with mild concern as her fiancee paced the length of the Agreste throne room, his movements tight and agitated. His normally perfectly coiffed blond hair was in a disarray from running his fingers through it repeatedly and his usually calm expression was pinched with worry.

“I’m not panicking,” he snapped and she arched one brow as the young man came to an abrupt halt. She watched the fight leave him in a rush, regret shimmering in his green eyes as he made his way across to sit beside her on the steps of the raised dias where three thrones stood proudly overlooking the room. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” she responded simply. “You love her, Adrien, and I know you hate not knowing where she is. I understand.”

And she did. Kagami had known from the moment she met Adrien Agreste that his heart belonged to another. It didn’t take a great detective to determine who that someone was. He talked constantly about her, his original match, and though he insisted she was just a friend she could tell otherwise. There was a softness when he spoke of her that wasn’t there when he talked about anyone else. And seeing them together that first time only made it even more glaringly obvious. Adrien Agreste gravitated around Marinette Dupain-Cheng like she was the sun and he was the earth. He was brighter, happier, more _real_ around her. Even Plagg, Adrien’s strange familiar who seemed to take the shape of a cat made out of shadows for some reason, seemed to adore the half-Chinese girl. Plagg had never let Kagami anywhere near him, yet she had seen him flop over on Marinette’s lap on numerous occasions, even taking his physical form to allow for pets. That was something the grouchy familiar rarely even did for Adrien. There were times in the beginning when Kagami had felt nothing but burning jealousy for the other girl. Marinette was unworthy of Adrien in every way. She was ditzy and scatterbrained, an utter screw up when it came to magic, and she constantly shirked her duties to run off and do whatever it was she did when she wasn’t doing what was expected of her. But she was also nice. Really, really nice and after getting to know her Kagami realized that as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t hate Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Because Marinette Dupain-Cheng didn’t hate anyone. She was so good, and so kind, even to those who tormented her due to her ineptitude and besides. Adrien loved her and Kagami loved Adrien so whether she liked it or not, she knew she needed to accept the other girl.

Now they were, more or less, on friendly terms. The fact that Marinette wasn’t at all romantically interested in Adrien, and in fact seemed oblivious to his romantic feelings towards her, helped. It made Kagami feel slightly less threatened and more open to the idea of being friendly with the girl. But even with that in mind, she couldn’t say she was sad to see the ravenette go. It was obvious, to Kagami at least, that Marinette wasn’t happy here. She had no magical competency to protect her against their own kind and witches tended to be cruel to those who weren’t the same as them. It was a harsh reality and Kagami knew that Marinette’s familiar could only protect the young witch for so long. Perhaps Marinette had come to that same conclusion.

“I just… I don’t know why she would leave without at least telling _me_ where she’s going,” Adrien was talking again, had perhaps been talking the entire time she was spaced out though he didn’t appear to have noticed her distraction.

“Maybe because she knew you’d try to stop her,” Plagg suddenly materialized nearby, his shadowy body shifting and moving like a flickering flame as acid green eyes gleamed from above his muzzle. Long growled in displeasure, while Kagami subtly scooted away from the black cat. He always gave her the creeps, not that she would admit that aloud. Only Adrien and Marinette seemed completely comfortable around him.

“Of course I would have stopped her! She belongs in Hong Kong. Or in Milan, with us,” Adrien growled, yanking once again at the blond strands of his hair.

“That girl belongs in a morgue,” a new voice echoed through the room and both Kagami and Adrien suddenly sat ramrod straight as Adrien’s father stalked into the room, a panther following in his wake. Plagg hissed, arching his back and baring bright white teeth before winking out of existence, likely back to the Netherworld. He had never liked Adrien’s father or the man’s familiar, Uccisora. It was just as well because Uccisora made it no secret how much she despised the smaller familiar.

“Father? Surely you don’t mean that,” Adrien asked hesitantly, frowning as the older man crossed the room to them. He stood, turning to face the older man and Kagami stood as well, though she stayed in the background with Long curled around her feet.

“That girl has been nothing but a nuisance since the day she came into her powers. The cleaners should have put her down long ago. If they had, we wouldn’t be facing possible exposure,” he spat, stalking past the two young adults to drop into his throne. Uccisora settled down beside him, tail flicking as her icy violet eyes watched the pair almost boredly.

“Marinette would never. She knows the laws,” Adrien said fiercely. He wasn’t typically one to argue with his father but this was Marinette they were talking about and he always strived to protect her when he could. Uccisora twitched one ear and parted her maw to speak.

“Just because the child doesn’t mean to do it, does not mean she won’t do it. Her abilities are powerful and unpredictable and her familiar does not share a bond strong enough to the girl to maintain those powers. She is a disaster waiting to happen.” Uccisora didn’t growl or spit the words, In fact, she spoke as if she were commenting on the weather. As it was a simple fact and nothing would change it.

“For this reason, we must retrieve the girl. I know you care for her, Adrien. So I will give you and Miss Tsurugi one week to reason with her,” Gabriel explained, arching a brow. “Bring her back, make sure she falls back into line, and we can all pretend this never happened.”

“We don’t even know where she is,” Kagami pointed out, breaking her silence to glare up at her future father in law. He seemed unconcerned by her expression, simply sparing her a look before looking back to his son.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng attempted a spell to hide her presence, so we can’t tell her exact location. However, we do know she is in Paris, France so that would be a good place to start. Adrien, Miss Tsurugi, you have one week. Bring her back here, or to her family, before she ruins what we have. You are dismissed,” he flicked his hand dismissively and Adrien and Kagami shared a look. 

“And if we can’t bring her back, father? If she refuses?” The blond boy finally asks. Gabriel looks back up and fixes his son with a cold glare.

“Then I’ll send the hounds to correct the problem.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Luka in this chapter but... things just got a bit more interesting ;)

“So, are you going to ask him out?” It was Friday, nearly two weeks after Marinette’s impromptu dinner… whatever (she wasn’t sure if it really qualified as a dinner date) and Alya was sprawled haphazardly across her couch with a glass of wine while Marinette tried to figure out how to make  _ Coq Au Vin. _ According to the French food blog she had started following in hopes that it might teach her to cook, it was a fairly simple chicken recipe that tastes fantastic. Unfortunately, considering she had never cooked a day in her life, reading the recipe was like reading a foreign language. And while Marinette tended to pick up new languages quickly when she put her mind to them, this was flying over her head just as much as Physics did.

“Am I what?” She asked distractedly, looking up from the recipe to throw a glance towards the Kitsune. Her gaze caught on the glass of wine dangling from the woman’s fingers and she immediately squawked in protest. “ _ Alya, _ that’s for the recipe!”

“I still don’t get why you don’t magic your way through the recipe. Any other self-respecting witch would,” the Kitsune shrugged carelessly, an easy grin on her face as she met the witch’s gaze. Marinette huffed and glared at her.

“I told you, I’m here to learn how to be more… human. I was very sheltered growing up and there’s just so much I don’t know how to do. I don’t want to rely on magic all the time,” she said, which wasn’t entirely a lie. She had been sheltered growing up and she did want to learn how to be more human. That just wasn’t the main reason she couldn’t magic her way out of this one. Of course, Alya didn’t need to know she was a complete and utter failure when it came to magic. The fox was the first magical being Marinette had ever met who didn’t immediately know who she was (in part because she had lied, but still) and she had come to enjoy the anonymity of not being a Dupain-Cheng in her friend’s hazel eyes.

“Right, right. Anyway, no changing the subject. Hot Rocker Boy, you’re going to ask him out, right?” Alya pressed, sitting up and peering intently at the ravenette. Clearly not expecting the question, Marinette squawked and flailed, nearly falling on her rear before catching herself and glaring at the other woman.

“Why would you even ask me that?” She asked, shaking her head in exasperation.

“Because you like him and he  _ clearly _ has the hots for you. He’d have to be blind not to,” she pointed out, leaping deftly off the couch and padding barefoot over to the kitchen. Since having dinner together, Marinette and Luka had hung out a few more times and Alya insisted on getting the “ _ deets''  _ as she called them, each time regardless of how mundane the interactions were. It was clear to Alya, at least, that the pair were very much into each other but weren’t entirely sure of the other’s interest, leading to them dancing around each other and their feelings like a couple of high schoolers.

“You don’t think it's… wrong? To date a human, I mean?” Marinette paused in the process of chopping an onion to blink at her new friend with wide, curious blue eyes. Alya shrugged, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Not really. I’m engaged to a human,” she said with a smirk, and Marinette could only stare at her dumbfounded until she elaborated. “We met by accident. He could see my ears and tails and had commented, thinking I was cosplaying. I assumed he must have some supernatural blood but we’ve both checked. He is totally human. He just has the gift of the Sight. It’s very rare in humans but it happens from time to time. He was a little shocked at first to find out I’m the real deal, but he accepts me and my quirks the way none of my kind ever has. One thing led to another and well...”

“And your kind… they’re okay with your relationship?” She asked, thoroughly intrigued now. Alya made a noncommittal noise and poured another glass of wine despite the darker haired girl’s protests.

“Not really but we Kitsune aren’t governed by a higher power the way you witches are. We don’t have a ‘Twelve’ like you, or even a  _ One _ . We kind of do our own thing. Being a Kitsune is all about being reckless, doing the unexpected, pulling pranks. We are seen as unruly and wild and free and for good reason,” she winked playfully and suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. A glowing four tailed fox sat in her place, blue flames flickering around her paws. She opened her mouth and barked, muscles bunching before she leaped deftly to land on Marinette’s shoulders. She was a bit bigger than Tikki in her fox form but she felt weightless, only the slightest pressure giving away where her paws rested.

“That’s a neat trick. I thought you could only take your fox form on the full moon,” Marinette said, turning slightly so she could see the fox now resting on her shoulder.

“Naw, that’s just a myth. Much like Shapeshifters, we can take our fox form whenever we want,” she explained, before leaping down and returning to her human form. Sitting on one of the kitchen barstools, she shrugged. “But again, off topic. Why don’t you invite him over? Maybe he can help you figure out how to make… whatever it is you’re making.”

“It’s  _ Coq Au Vin _ and I don’t need help, I’ve got this,” she said stubbornly. It was only twenty minutes later that she realized she didn’t have it. Cooking was a lot more complicated than she had though and she jumped as the fire alarm began to beep in protest for the fourth time. Tikki had already sprinted for the bedroom the first time it went off, ears flat against her skull and tail bushed out and Alya was no help. She happily pointed out that she practically lived on take out because of her ineptitude in the kitchen. Marinette was almost tempted to try magicking her way out of this one after all, potential repercussions be damned, when there was a knock at the door. Alya perked up, clearly having an idea of who it might be, and with a wink and an eyebrow wiggle she poofed out of existence leaving the frazzled witch behind. Marinette glared at the spot she had disappeared and finished yanking the batteries from the fire alarm to shut it up once and for all, before climbing back down the small ladder and heading to the door. She’ll admit to herself that she was expecting Luka as well, especially with all the noise they were making. It would be just like him to come over and check on her with all the ruckus the fire alarm was causing. But when she opened the door, it wasn’t her handsome neighbor that immediately lunged forward to wrap her in a hug. It was her former fiancee, Adrien Agreste… and he had brought Kagami with him.

  
  
  
  


It took Adrien and Kagami three days to prepare for their trip. His father had amended that they had a week from the day they arrived in Paris to find her, allowing them to get anything they thought they might need together to track the young witch. Adrien, of course, had known Marinette since infancy. Their betrothal had been decided mostly by their mothers when they first found out they were having a boy and a girl, and that their children would be born within a few weeks of each other so Adrien and Marinette had grown up with the expectation that they would one day be wed. Because of this, Adrien felt it safe to say he knew Marinette Dupain-Cheng almost better than she knew herself. Marinette might be pretty inept at magic, but she was creative and crafty and he knew that finding her might not be so simple as casting a location spell. The spell she had cast to hide her and Tikki hadn’t been very strong, which wasn’t surprising since whenever she tried more advanced spells, things tended to blow up. But it had good bones and a strong foundation which meant as long as whatever item she had tied it to in order to stabilize the spell was still intact, they weren’t going to get anything more than a general location of the young witch. That general location led them to Paris, and Adrien kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner.

He had only been to France once before, when he was about six but he remembered it vividly because it was one of the last vacations he had taken with Marinette and her family before his father ultimately decided to end their betrothal two years later. Marinette had picked the location and while they had sat on the Agreste Family’s private jet she had practically been buzzing with excitement. She had talked for hours and hours about all she wanted to see and do, and when they had gone home a week later, she had told him that she hoped they could move to Paris once they got married. None of the Twelve had claimed France, so it had been a definite possibility and Adrien remembered thinking he would have to ask his father to stake a claim on it before some other young hopeful snatched up the territory. He remembered thinking his father might actually say yes, because it wasn’t too far from where the Agreste Coven was located in Milan, Italy. He never had gotten to ask, forgetting as children tend to do, but now the memory was back full force leaving a sense of regret in its place.

It was just like Marinette to run away to Paris, though. She had always been a hopeless romantic, dreaming of a love match rather than an arranged union, and what better to find love than in the City of Love? Unfortunately, once they actually got there they had absolutely no idea where to start looking. They landed on Sunday and each day he and Kagami split up to scour the city. Marinette was smart. He had always known that. But he had thought that she might miss their kind enough to slip up and perhaps befriend a witch or two but there was nothing. None of the witches he asked had seen her, though they promised to keep an eye out, and even the other Supernaturals in the city were drawing a blank. Marinette was social, she always had been, and it didn’t make sense that she would isolate herself in this way. He didn’t voice his fears, but Marinette had always had a strange sort of fascination with humans and he was afraid she might be hanging out with them. Not that there was anything inherently wrong with humans, except relationships between witches and humans were highly discouraged. Adrien and Kagami searched for days, well aware of their rapidly approaching deadline. It was on a Friday, two days before the deadline was up, that they finally found their lead.

They had just met up and were wandering back to their hotel, dejected after a long day of searching when Plagg suddenly went still and lifted his nose to the air. Adrien didn’t notice immediately but when he realized his familiar was no longer with him, he stopped and turned back. The cat had taken on his physical form while they were in France, a big fluffy persian with bright green eyes and midnight fur. He was staring fixedly up at an apartment building that had definitely seen better days, tail twitching agitatedly.

“Plagg?” Adrien asked, taking a step closer to the feline. Green eyes swivelled to meet his gaze.

“Tikki is here,” he meowed, lifting his gaze up to a window near the top of the building. Movement in the window, a flicker of red fur before it disappeared and Adrien felt his heart leap into his throat.

“Are you sure it’s her? That could be any cat,” Kagami said dubiously. Her feet hurt and she was tired and not eager to chase another dead end trail. Plagg glared at her.

“I know my Sugarcube when I see her,” he hissed impatiently, spinning and stalking towards the building. Adrien and Kagami shared a look but followed the cat. Plagg led them to an elevator where they punched the button for the tenth and highest level. The black cat was busy sniffing around the elevator to worry about it’s creaking, though the two witches clung nervously to the railing. “Marinette has been here, too. I can smell her. This is definitely the place.”

“Figures she would choose this dump,” Kagami muttered softly, rolling her eyes. She didn’t even want to know what the stickiness under her fingers was. The elevator finally arrived on the tenth floor and Plagg was off like a shot the moment the doors opened with the two witches chasing after him. He stopped abruptly outside of apartment 1025 and abruptly rubbed against the door as if he were scent marking it. Sitting down, he looked back at the two witches behind him, acidic green eyes looking almost smug against the backdrop of midnight fur. “This is it,” he meowed confidently.

“You’re absolutely sure?” Adrien frowned suspiciously at the cat who offered him an annoyed glare in return.

“My nose isn’t incompetent like that yappy little ball of fluff that  _ Chloe _ calls a familiar,” he sniffed haughtily. Adrien and Kagami shared another look before the blond reached out to rap on the door. There was a moment of silence and then the door was yanked open and Marinette was there. Her wide smile faded immediately into shock but Adrien didn’t care, stepping forward and wrapping the girl in a tight hug.

“Marinette, I’ve been so worried!” He cried, squeezing her tightly before stepping back and holding her at arm's length. The ravenette looked between them, horror beginning to overtake the shock.

“Adrien, Kagami… what the hell are you doing here?” She asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll eventually add it to the tags but I just wanted to forewarn you that the chapter AFTER the next one (chpt 7) will have some graphic depictions of violence. It will most likely be the only chapter that is graphic and I will mark where it gets dicey if you wanna skip it but you've been forewarned.

Marinette liked to think of herself as a relatively calm person. Sure, she was generally a bundle of nerves waiting to implode at any given moment… but she wasn’t often the type to get angry or yell at people. Normally, she played the part of the meek and compliant daughter. She did as her parents and the Elders asked, rarely speaking out against them and quickly silenced the few times she did attempt to find her voice. She didn’t argue, didn’t aggravate or escalate the situation, and she had never been violent in her life. Even at the peak of her bullying during her youth, Marinette never attempted to fight back. And it wasn’t because she  _ couldn’t _ fight back. She knew self-defense, she knew some offense, she was accomplished enough at magic that if she really,  _ really _ tried, she could succeed in doing some sort of damage to an opponent. If all else failed, her tendency to cause minor explosions with her magic would be enough to scare off the bullies, at least temporarily. But Marinette had never in her life  _ wanted _ to harm another living, breathing creature, even if it was in her own defense. That is, until now.

Standing in her living room and glaring at the two witches sitting on her couch, Marinette felt an itch in her hands that called for violence. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing harshly through her nose as she tried to calm herself. She would not punch Adrien in his stupid,  _ gleefully  _ happy face no matter  _ how _ much he deserved it right now. She would not resort to violence because she was a lady, and ladies were above such vulgar acts of violence. Opening her eyes, she leveled a glare at the pair. For her part, Kagami looked like she would rather be anywhere but on that couch at that particular moment. She wasn’t exactly avoiding eye contact but she was staring pointedly outside Tikki’s window with a tense set to her shoulder that said she was just as uncomfortable as Marinette was. Marinette wasn’t necessarily  _ mad _ at Kagami. She knew that if it were up to the other girl, they would have left well enough alone and stayed in Milan. Kagami had never outright said as much, but Marinette had always gotten the sense that the Japanese girl didn’t like her. She assumed it was because of her former betrothal to Adrien, had even assured her on numerous occasions that nothing was going on between them, but while Kagami had thawed ever so slightly, she was still stiff and formal around the Dupain-Cheng Heir.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” she finally turned her attention fully to Adrien and took some satisfaction in seeing the blond wilt a bit at her tone and glare.

“But Mari, we had to come! Your parents are worried sick and the Elders, my  _ Father _ , they’re furious. You have to come back home with us,” Adrien pleaded, giving her that familiar pout that once would have conned her into doing anything he wanted at the drop of a hat. Now it just made her narrow her eyes and cross her arms stubbornly.

“I’m not coming back, and you’re not staying here. You’ll tell the Elders,  _ including _ your dad, that you didn’t find me, and that they should stop looking for me,” she said firmly.

“They already know you’re in Paris, they’ll send something far worse than us if you don’t come back,” Adrien insisted, worry evident in his emerald orbs. The ravenette stiffened, easily guessing what he meant. Familiars weren’t the only creatures that came from the Netherworld. There were other, far more dangerous and  _ aggressive  _ creatures that dwelled there. Creatures that tracked, hunted, and weren’t above tearing their quarry limb from limb if given the command. Creatures with no thoughts or moral compass to stop them from destroying that which they set their sights on. Marinette had never seen such creatures; she was far too sheltered and her parents far too worried about her well-being to let her near them. But she had heard the horror stories and it sent a chill sliding down her spine.

“I can take care of myself,” she said firmly, hating the slight waver in her voice that seemed to deny her claims.

“Can you?” Kagami suddenly broke her silence, brown eyes shifting towards the blue-eyed witch. There was no judgement in her gaze, there wasn’t even any outwardly apparent disbelief at her claim, but that stare weighed heavy on Marinette and made her shift uncomfortably.

“Maybe you should listen to her, Marinette,” Tikki meowed, looking up from where she was attempting to shove Plagg off the top tier of her cat tree. The black monstrosity of a cat looked like little more than a pool of fluff overflowing from the shallow dip of the tier and he barely budged as the smaller familiar pushed and shoved at him with her forepaws. Marinette couldn’t be sure because it was so quiet, but she could have sworn she heard a faint purr rumbling from the large cat. He and Tikki had known each other from the Netherworld long before they bonded with Adrien and Marinette, and they had some sort of connection that Marinette could never hope to understand. Plagg insisted they were in love and every once in awhile she would catch a glimpse of that love in the way Tikki would sometimes groom the large male, or nuzzle closer to him in her sleep. Most of the time, however, she seemed more annoyed by his presence than anything else. Plagg, on the other hand, always tried to press close and drape himself over the smaller feline when in her presence, grooming her when she allowed it, but generally just making a nuisance of himself to the female.

“You made a valiant effort to strike out on your own, Marinette, and you have proven you don’t need magic to survive. I admire what you have done thus far, but I can only do so much to protect you and your magic… it’s not reliable,” the familiar continued, a hint of guilt in her blue eyes. She knew that Marinette was sensitive about her magic and she hated to bring it up but sometimes it needed to be said. As she expected, the raven-haired witch drew herself up to her full height and despite her diminutive stature, her anger made her appear larger than she actually was.

“I get it. You all think that just because I can’t cast a proper fire spell or a decent invisibility cantation that I can’t take care of myself. Well, you’re  _ wrong _ and I  _ can _ and I don’t need any of you to protect me. I can take care of myself,” she snapped. She didn’t care if she sounded like a petulant child, she was furious that they were even still having this conversation and she was furious that Tikki was siding with the other two. So much for familiar loyalty. “I have stuff to do tomorrow. You two can stay the night but I want you out of my apartment and preferably out of Paris by the time I get home. I’m an adult, I can take care of myself and I have no intention of returning home so you might as well give up now,” she said, giving them one last scowl before stalking to her bedroom. Tikki leaped deftly from the cat tree, ignoring Plagg’s whines of protest, slipping into the room just before the door slammed behind her.

  
  
  


Luka was concerned. He first became concerned when he had been approaching his apartment and noticed the two strangers standing outside of Marinette’s door. Even if their auras hadn’t made it glaringly obvious that they were witches, the talking cat pacing around their feet would have alerted him to that fact. He was too far away to hear what the cat was saying, but he could very clearly see the moment Marinette opened the door and was almost tackled by the blond man as he swept her into a tight embrace. That was enough to make Luka feel uneasy, but the familiarity in her voice when she spoke to them made his stomach twist in knots. Marinette didn’t sound happy to see them and after the initial shock of seeing them, she immediately extracted herself from the man’s embrace but it was also glaringly obvious that she  _ knew _ them. And witches didn’t just casually interact with humans in this way, which meant that Marinette… she had to be something  _ else _ . He just didn’t know what, her aura giving no indication that she was anything but human.

The trio didn’t notice him, stepping into the apartment and closing the door behind them and Luka had continued to his own apartment in a sort of daze. He had tried to focus on his usual evening routine, tossing some leftovers in the microwave and changing into sweats and an old tee-shirt rather than his work clothing, but it was hard. Everytime a voice was raised, the words too muffled from the walls to discern, he would freeze and cast anxious glances towards the wall that separated him from Marinette. Luka would be the first to admit that in the past two weeks, he had grown more than a little attached to his beautiful neighbor. Marinette was unlike anyone he had ever met before. Bright, creative, enthusiastic, kind, and compassionate. She was soft but bold, shy but confident, sweet but feisty. He had truly enjoyed getting to know her and had been trying to get up the nerve to ask her on an official date. Knowing she was on the other side of that wall, arguing with two witches, was putting him on edge. He didn’t want her to get hurt. At the same time, the way the blond had hugged her made him think that maybe it was his own prejudices talking that made him fear for her safety and so as much as it pained him, he had hung back instead of going next door to make sure she was alright.

At the very least, their argument seemed to be over. The slamming of her bedroom door had been loud enough for him to hear through the walls and he had been sitting on his bed staring at the wall for the past ten minutes, wondering if he should text her or not. In the end he knew he needed to, if only for his own peace of mind. He doubted he would sleep if he didn’t know with absolute certainty that she was okay.

**L: Everything alright over there?**

There, Luka felt that was a pretty mundane question to ask that wouldn’t give away the fact that he knew she was currently housing a couple of supernaturals in her living room. It took longer than he expected for her to text back and the entire time he stared anxiously at his phone.

**M: You heard all that?**

Her response made him smile, a relieved chuckle escaping him as he flopped back on his bed, holding the phone above his face as he considered how to reply. He didn’t want her to think he had been eavesdropping and if she was somehow connected to the witches, he definitely didn’t want to let on that he knew what they were. For all he knew, she could be completely oblivious to the true nature of the company she was currently keeping.

**L: Not words. Just voices. You sounded angry, I was worried about you.**

**M: I’m okay, thanks for worrying. Just… some unexpected company.**

**L: You want me to come over and show them the door?**

He grinned widely as he heard her muffled laughter from the other side of the wall. She had a beautiful laugh, light and airy. The kind of laugh that made you want to laugh right along with her. It always filled his heart with warmth when he heard her laugh and he was glad to ease some of the tension her ‘unexpected visitors’ had caused her.

**M: No. Thank you, though. They’re… old friends. They’ll be gone tomorrow.**

**L: Good, so that means you’re free tomorrow night?**

**M: I’m free pretty much all day tomorrow. I have a few errands to run in the AM but that’s it.**

**L: You want some company?**

Luka isn’t sure what possessed him to ask, but he can’t regret it now that he has. There is a lengthy pause and he is about to text her and apologize for his forwardness but then her reply comes in and he feels like he is floating on air.

**M: Only if you’re the one offering :)**

**L: Whatever the Lady wishes ;)**

**M: Meet me in the hall at 9?**

Luka arched a brow. She must be really desperate to escape her ‘old friends’ if she was willing to be up and ready by nine in the morning. He had quickly come to realize that Marinette was not a morning person and, in fact, often stayed in bed as late as possible before getting up to face the day and whatever commissions she needed to work on.

**L: Wouldn’t miss it for the world. And Marinette?**

**M: Yes, Luka?**

**L: Don’t make any plans for tomorrow evening either. I want to take you somewhere.**

**M: I can’t wait :) Night, Luka <3**

**L: Goodnight, Mari <3**

  
  


Luka knew that there was probably some line he was crossing right now, but as he knocked on Marinette’s door at eight forty five the next morning, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He had tossed and turned all night long thinking about the two witches from last night and worrying about Marinette. There was just something so soft and delicate about the young woman that inspired a need to protect her that he wasn’t accustomed to feeling. And okay, he could admit that a bit of it might have been jealousy over the way the blond had hugged her with such familiarity. Luka had never been the possessive or jealous type. He preferred to go with the flow and roll with the punches but he had also never felt that instant draw to another person that he felt with Marinette so he also wasn’t very surprised at his jealousy. After a few moments, the door swung open and he was faced with a very shirtless blond man who looked like he could be a model. Yeah… that was definitely jealousy snaking through the pit of his stomach.

“Can I help you?” Apparently he wasn’t the only one feeling jealous because the blond’s eyes were narrowed and his frame tense as his bright green gaze swept over Luka from head to toe. His lips pressed into a thin line and his nose wrinkled slightly, giving a clear indication of the moment the other man realized he was a half witch. He usually masked his aura, made himself look completely human, but he suddenly didn’t want to. Perhaps if the blond realized he was part witch, he would think of Luka as more of a threat than he actually was.

“I’m here for Marinette,” he spoke without inflection, no bite to his words, and he kept his face neutral despite the feelings of hostility rising up within him. Even if this man wasn’t a witch, Luka had a feeling the dislike would have been there anyway. There was just something about the blond that rubbed him the wrong way.

“She’s not in,” the witch said stiffly, and Luka arched an unimpressed brow.

“We have plans, and considering she isn’t a morning person I doubt that’s true,” he said, perhaps a tad too smugly as he watched the anger immediately flare in the blond’s eyes. Clearly his knowledge of Marinette’s habits were a sore spot for the other man and Luka guessed him to be an ex-boyfriend.

“She made new plans, so why don’t you-” Before the blond could finish, a new voice cut him off and Luka felt a twisted sort of satisfaction at seeing the blond flinch.

“Adrien, what are you doing!?” Marinette popped her head around the blond, and the feeling of joy Luka felt at seeing her eyes immediately brighten at spotting him had nothing to do with the blond, Adrien, and everything to do with the gorgeous girl currently beaming at him. “Luka, you’re early! I told you I would have met you in the hall. Come on in, I’m almost ready.”

“But Marinette-” Adrien began, only to be cut off at the glare immediately leveled at him.

“I told you not to answer my door. And  _ why are you shirtless _ ? Go put some clothes on,” she growled, almost physically removing him from the doorway so that Luka could enter. He did, gaze bouncing around the apartment curiously. The other witch was sitting on the couch watching them with fathomless brown eyes, her expression unreadable. Her aura was a blazing red with hues of orange and yellow; an elemental witch, if he had to guess, though he was a bit rusty when it came to determining witch specializations through auras. Adrien’s, he noted with another glance at the man, had a darker aura than expected. Black with various shades of green; a witch that specialized in destruction magic. They were pretty rare. The witch on the couch didn’t seem to have her familiar with her, but he could see the black cat that he had assumed to be Adrien’s sitting on Tikki’s cat tree. Tikki was nowhere to be found, but then the little cat had never seemed to like Luka very much and normally stayed in the room when he was over.

“I’m Kagami,” the dark-haired witch suddenly said, and Luka returned his gaze to hers to see her studying him thoughtfully. Adrien had joined her, pouting almost petulantly and Marinette had disappeared. Perhaps sensing the direction of his thoughts, Kagami said, “she went to finish getting ready.”

“Right, ah… thank you,” he said, studying her for any signs of what she thought of him being half witch. Her neutral expression gave no indication of what she was thinking or feeling though.

“I can’t believe you’re okay with this, Gami. He’s a half breed. We should send him packing and get back to business,” Adrien suddenly said, shooting a dark glare at the darker haired boy.

“Marinette has made her feelings on the matter perfectly clear. I think it best we return home as requested,” Kagami responded a bit tersely, the slightest tightening at the corners of her eyes the only real indication of her anger with the blond.

“Marinette doesn’t know what’s best for her. She should listen to us and stop this nonsense,” the blond muttered and Luka arched an eyebrow.

“Marinette is a grown woman, I think she is perfectly capable of making her own decisions,” Luka responded evenly. He could tell Adrien wanted to argue some more, but Marinette decided to reappear at that moment wearing skinny jeans and a Jagged Stone tee-shirt, hair loose and pushed back with a headband. Her gaze flicked over them, perhaps noting the tension radiating from the trio before her gaze focused on him.

“Ready to go?” She asked with a nervous smile.

“Always. It was nice meeting you, Kagami,” he said genuinely, before sparing a glance to the scowling blond. His voice was terse when he added, “Adrien.”

“You as well. Again, we’re sorry for imposing, Marinette. We’ll be out of your hair by tonight,” Kagami responded while Adrien just huffed. Marinette looked between the two, gaze lingering on the blond with a hint of sadness before she sighed and nodded. Her smile was a bit more tense when she looked at him once more, but it was genuine and it made his heart flutter.

“Alright, let’s go. Come on, Tikki!” She headed to the door, her cat scampering at her heels, and as Luka followed he tried really hard not to think about the fact that Tikki was reminding him more and more of a familiar than a normal cat.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme Know What You Think!


End file.
